BASS's latest mailing to my house - Asks "Did our knot slip?"

[TritonGlenn]

BASS's question to me via their latest mailing (I didn't renew my subscription this time) - "Did our knot slip?"

My reply:



Yep. You can say that. Actually, it's more like your line popped. You have been fishing with rusty hooks, and it finally cost you another fish. You're fishing with stink bait for bass fishermen. You told one too many fish stories. Shall I continue?



I've been fed up with BASS for quite some time now, and it's mostly due to your magazine subscription department. BASS, for all intensive purposes, has become just that - a magazine subscription. Your renewal advertisements claim "All but $1 of your membership dues goes towards your BASS subscription." Well Duhhhhh! Actually, I'm wondering where that extra dollar is going. Shouldn't it go to the magazine subscription as well? After all, that's all that BASS seems to be now.



Lets talk for a moment about the free gifts. First of all (seriously speaking - not being sarcastic at all), I would like to thank the sponsors. It's not their fault. I do greatly appreciate all they do for the fishermen. I've received a few Berkley tackle packs over the years, some Trilene, etc

 

[Randy Walls]

Glenn, I also remember that the BASSMASTER magazine was for BASS members only and the only way to get it was to join. Now it is re-covered and available in stores!



Oh well, money talks!



Randy!

 

[Bruce Freeman]

Some of the many reasons I let my membership expire a couple of years ago. I know it's apples to oranges, but that is the same kind of reason I dropped out of the nra.



BF

 

[Tim King]

I know that if I didn't have a lifetime membership, that I would not renew every year. I also think it has went down hill since ESPN has taken over.



Tim

 

[Bayou Boy]

 

[Bayou Boy]

Don't join buckmasters. That is the same reason I quit buckmasters 4 years ago. I still have to tell the associates aka telemarketers, that I do not want to renew my membership. Yet, faithfully every two months they make sure I haven't changed my mind. Thanks!

 

[TritonGlenn]

Oh heck! I had forgot about Buckmasters! Thanks for the reminder Bayou Boy! If there has been one company's subscription dept that is worse than Bassmasters - it's definitely Buckmasters. I got in with them on a couple year deal from the get-go, and IMMEDIATELY started receiving renewal notices. They called me on my home phone, as well as my cell phone. They pissed me off so bad, I cancelled the remainder of my subscription and told them never to contact me again. Took another six months of letters, phone calls, etc... to get them to leave me alone. I'll never sign up with them again.



Tom W - You mentioned yet another subscription that I didn't renew. I used to LOVE reading B&WB. It was the "Magazine of Performance Bass and Walleye Boats"... now it's just a collaboration of Trailer Boats, Bassmaster, and a few other magazines. They really ticked me off when they started putting fishing tackle reviews in that magazine, comparing rods, etc... That's not what I bought that magazine for. Some, as you also pointed out, say that since you cannot hotrod the new engines, that magazine is on the way out... but I submit that if they were to stick with the handy tips on how to do things (install electronics, trolling motors, gadgets, etc...) along with their tests on new boats and engines, that they would be just fine. I think they panicked when they realized they couldn't do "hot rod" mods to engines - but they went WAY out of their league and started running bull**** articles to fill pages.



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Greg J.]

I let my subscription to Bassmaster mag expire last year also. pretty much the same reason as you Glenn; multiple renewal notices when it wasn't even close, and then they had the hunting section in it. I'm not a hunter and paid for fishing info not hunting. Probably a flimsy excuse on my part about the hunting, but I did get tired of the constant renewal notices in the mail and inside the magazine as you stated.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

So, what other option is there? I mean if we want to read a magazine about our sport, where do you turn? Field & Stream? As many problems as there are, the only other option is the internet as far as I see it.



TOXIC

 

[Texas Transplant]

Well, I'm still a member of BASS and still hold a subscription. I enjoy the magazine, even though some of the changes I would not personally make.



As far as the renewals and such, it's the same as almost any other magazine. The way they mail out and handle their subscription/renewal process - is built on a proven model. If I was in that business, I'd want to use a model that was successful.



If you don't like it, then don't subscribe or drop your subscription. Me, I'm keeping mine. I've tried picking up any number of local/state/national magazines - and simply don't enjoy the contents enough.



Tex

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

I had a membership to North American Fisherman because they had good articles and let me read about some northern techniques for Walleye, Pike and Musky that I don't get to fish for regularly here in Virginia. They sent me a "gift pack" midway through my subscription period. Then I started getting my renewal badgering. Then I got a letter that stated since I got the gift pack the least I could do out of "respect" was to renew and that I "owed it to them" to nenew. The quotes I mention are exact wording by the way. I cancelled and told them that "I" was a customer and they were not going to "guilt" me into a membership renewal. Po'd me to the max!!

Anybody remember the BASS books that got sent out without the customer requesting them and then they invoiced you for it.....??



TOXIC

 

[Joseph Pepper]

I enjoy the magazine, and don't get bombarded by renewal notices as you speak of. My only complaint (and have called them to let them know) is the fact that they don't ever give any tips or advice on how to pattern Florida bass.



The lakes I fish are all shallow bowls clogged with weeds, not 100' deep clear water resevoirs loaded with standing timber, road beds, or massive river channel systems and swings.



I joke all the time that the bass I go after don't read bassmater magazine.

 

[Greg J.]

The lakes I fish are all shallow bowls clogged with weeds, not 100' deep clear water resevoirs loaded with standing timber, road beds, or massive river channel systems and swings.

Exactly. I think they've forgotten about the average guy who maybe gets to fish on some weekends. imho, Bassmaster has turned into a nice travel mag though, "advertising" nice places to go through the use of pics and stories, lol. When I see it on the shelf at Walmart now I may pick it up and leaf through it quickly, and then tell myself I really don't need it.

 

[Jack Long]

I have read a lot of bass fishing magazines and I have not found one yet better than BASS. So I will keep my life membership and enjoy every issue. Later<>< <>< <>< Jack

 

[Mad Kayaker]

Glenn - I actually like the magazine compared to some of the others that are out there. Maybe Bassin' has better articles written by the pros themselves (like VanDam and Iaconelli) but I think the graphics and overall design of the Bassmaster magazine is better.



If you don't care about the membership (we have to have an FLW membersip in my club not a Bass membership), do what I do - order the Bassmaster magazine through one of the large subscription houses. I think I get 3 yrs for less than $7.00 in total - yes, that's right, not $7 per year but $7 in total. The key to these places are that you should order about four months before your current subscription expires. Don't worry, they are smart enough and work with the magazines so the time gets tacked onto your latest expiration date as long as you give them your subsciption number.



Here is an example I just pulled up for you and others from one of the places that sells through eBay - there are others. I get most of my subscriptions this way.



Bill, the Madkayaker












http://cgi.ebay.com/Subscription-to...goryZ268QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

 

[Andrew Zuber]

I like the magazine...and read it each month, but I've got to chime in with Joe and Waterwings...



I can't remember the last article that focused on a NATURAL Lake....

"Here we are at Lake X, a 125,000 acre impoundment somewhere in the South."

How many times have we seen that? I don't know about the rest of you, but I make one trip a year to Lake Barkley...the rest of the season I spend fishing on my local NATURAL Lakes that average around 200 acres...none of which have road beds or creek channels.



How about the "Day on the Lake" show...I can pick a lake nearby that I'd love to see a pro come in and fish! I've seen enough Lake X's in the South fished!



Just my $0.02 worth...



az

 

[TritonGlenn]

If you think the "natural lake" coverage is bad... try dealing with RIVERS. Here on the VA/NC line, we fish mostly rivers. James, Chick, Northwest, North Landing, Potomac in VA; Chowan, Roanoake, Yeopim, Perquimmans, Pasquotank, Little, North, Scuppernong, etc... in North-East NC. The only decent sized lakes around here that we fish are Kerr, Gaston, Roanoake Rapids and Anna.... but 99% of all club tournaments are on Rivers here.



How often do you see a River fishing article?



Oh, and lets not forget my brothers and sisters down south in LA... How about a bayou article? Ain't seen one of those yet. :lol:



All the best,

Glenn

 

[Greg J.]

How about the "Day on the Lake" show...I can pick a lake nearby that I'd love to see a pro come in and fish! I've seen enough Lake X's in the South fished!

Concur! I constantly mention to my wife when we're out fishing, that I'd love to see one of the pros catch something where we fish (400 acre reservoir, mud bottom, no weeds, no structure, no laydowns), lol.

 

[TritonGlenn]

(...mud bottom, no weeds, no structure, no laydowns)

Uhhh... Greg.... I don't know how to tell you this bro... but you've been fishing in a stormwater overflow holding pond. :lol::lol::lol:



All the best,

Glenn